July & August Trivia

1. On the 2nd of July, whip out your telescope and look toward the heavens for Unidentified Flying Objects (UFOs) on World UFO Day, which commemorates what event which occurred on U.S. soil that is the source of endless conspiracy theories?

From Quiz It's a Jolly Holiday in July!

Answer: The Roswell Incident

In 1947, something fell from the sky in Roswell, New Mexico. The U.S. Army identified it as a high-altitude weather balloon -- but that was too mundane! Conspiracy theorists and ufologists some thirty years later promoted the idea that the Federal Government had covered up a the crash-landing of an alien spacecraft. Footage appeared depicting the autopsy of an apparently extraterrestrial being, but this was proved to be a hoax. Nonetheless, World UFO Day persists for many as a time to wonder if we Earthlings are really alone out there. Some folks celebrate World UFO Day on June 24, the anniversary the first American sighting of a UFO -- nine flying disks by pilot Kenneth Arnold, also in 1947.

From Quiz A British August

Answer: Edinburgh

The Edinburgh International Festival was established in 1947, and has since expanded to include many forms of entertainment. The original core events included theatre, opera, music and dance, with the emphasis on mainstream events. As a result, the Edinburgh Fringe was formed, also in 1947, to give an outlet for less established acts and has gone on to establish itself as equally popular, particularly in the field of comedy. The Edinburgh Military Tattoo has formed part of the wider festival since 1950, with performances of military bands held at Edinburgh Castle. The festival now also includes many independently organised events including jazz performances, art and book festivals under the umbrella organisation of the Edinburgh Festival.

From Quiz August - Respected and Impressive

Answer: Sixth

Though we now know August as being the eighth month of the calendar year, it wasn't always the case. Under the calendar created by Romulus in 753 BC, there were only ten months and August (Sextilis) was the sixth month. At the time, it also had 29 days. King Numa Pompilius added the months of January and February around about 700 BC, thereby pushing August into the position of eighth month. When Julius Caesar created his Julian calendar in 46 BC, he added two more days to August, creating the 31 days as we know it in modern times. The initial Roman calendar was based on a twelve month cycle, however, the two winter months were considered to be "dead" and were not shown (hence the original ten month calendar). It was Julius Caesar that prompted the change so the calendar truly reflected the Earth's revolution around the sun.

From Quiz The Month of July

Answer: fifth

Fifth because at one time it was the fifth month. However Julius Caesar added two months at the start of the year and so July became the seventh month.

From Quiz A British August

Answer: Swift-Tuttle

Named after the Perseus constellation, the show starts towards the end of July. It reaches its peak around mid August, before finishing around the third week of August. This information applies only in the northern hemisphere, as the southern hemisphere sees much less of the showers, although they are visible when at their maximum. The meteors were first recorded by the Chinese in 36 AD, and were first identified as an annual event by the Belgian Adolphe Quetélet in 1835. More details can be found on www.meteorshowersonline.com, from where I have gleaned much of this information.

From Quiz The Month of July

Answer: Julius Caesar & Caesar & Julius

Julius Caesar not only moved the position of the month, but he added an extra day to it.

From Quiz It's a Jolly Holiday in August

Answer: Infinity

An '8' placed upon its side gives you the symbol for infinity -- ∞ -- and so, the 8th day of the 8th month. Universal & International Infinity Day (its complete name) is the brainchild of Jean-Pierre Ady Fenyo, who became famous in the late 1980s as the Original New York City Free Advice Man, for he gave free advice on the sidewalks of Manhattan. Fenyo, a poet, philosopher, and science fiction author, promoted it as a day for free expression, non-violent demonstration, and civilized ethical and philosophical debate and discussion. Infinity Day has spread worldwide, though it gets the most notice in the USA and Europe, so maybe it isn't quite "Universal" yet. Zeno's paradoxes are a famous set of philosophical problems that explore infinitude.

From Quiz A British August

Answer: Notting Hill

The Notting Hill carnival was begun by the Afro-Caribbean community in 1959 as an indoor event. It transferred outside in 1966 and has grown to be one of the largest street carnivals in the world. The event lasts for three days, and culminates with a procession featuring flamboyant costumes. The event has not been without controversy, and has seen murders and riots over the years. Hugh Grant has no official involvement with it, but did appear in the 1999 film called 'Notting Hill', set in the area, with Julia Roberts as his co-star.

From Quiz The Month of July

Answer: Larkspur

Larkspur, a member of the buttercup family, has the symbolic meaning of ardent attachment and open heart. Some sources also give the water lily as July's flower.

From Quiz Holidays and Observances in July

Answer: Canada

By the time Nunavut became an official territory of Canada, the country already had two other territories (the Northwest Territories and Yukon) as well as ten provinces. One of the northernmost territories of Canada, Nunavut is mainly inhabited by indigenous peoples like the Inuit and Innu groups. Following the High Arctic relocation during the Cold War, in which the government of Canada moved Inuit peoples to a land with tough living conditions, the Inuit organized activism campaigns to protest against the abuses their people had suffered. In 1993, the Canadian Parliament approved the Nunavut Land Claims Agreement Act and the Nunavut Act, officially recognizing Nunavut as a territory of its own, separate from the Northwest Territories.

From Quiz It's a Jolly Holiday in July!

Answer: UK

International Kissing Day, also known as World Kiss Day, started in the UK, but by 2006 it had become worldwide, although it seems to get the most notice in its British homeland. Strangely enough, anthropologists at the University of Nevada reported in 2015 that a majority of cultures around the world do NOT engage in kissing, but rather do things like exchange breath or sniff each other. July 6 is also National Fried Chicken Day in the USA, which just to be different has its own National Kissing Day on June 19.

From Quiz It's a Jolly Holiday in August

Answer: National Honey Bee Day

Beekeepers in the USA began this day to build community within the beekeeping industry, and to educate people about the importance of bees and beekeepers (and to promote honey). The day received an official proclamation from the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, Thomas J. Vilsek, in 2009, but an NGO (Pennsylvania Apiculture Inc.) has taken charge of organizing the holiday since. A single worker bee will gather just half a teaspoon of honey in her lifetime. For a pound of honey, bees must travel about 55,000 miles (89,000 km) and gather nectar from two million flowers! They do this by flapping their wings at an exhausting 11,400 beats per minute, to travel about 15 miles per hour (24 km/h). Around ten pounds (5 kg) of nectar yield but one pound (450 g) of honey. There is also a U.N. World Bee Day held on May 8 every way to promote global awareness of bees and their crucial pollination of our fruits and vegetables. We would literally die without honeybees, so they are certainly worth celebrating!

From Quiz The Month of July

Answer: ruby

A red variety of the mineral corundum. The blue variety is the sapphire.

From Quiz It's a Jolly Holiday in July!

Answer: World Population Day

On July 11, 1987 the population of Earth had grown to approximately 5 billion. Two years later, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) created World Population Day to raise awareness of urgent global population issues, including family planning, migration, and mothers' rights and health. The theme of each year varies; for example, in 2016 it was "investing in teenage girls". In many cultures, once girls reach puberty they are forced to leave school and enter into arranged marriages, with devastating physical consequences for their immature bodies. A long-term goal has been to eradicate obstetric fistula, a childbirth injury, the effects of which cause girls to be shunned by society. So the message was to let girls finish their education and grow up to be fully human before they become wives and mothers, and have children only when and if they are ready.

From Quiz It's a Jolly Holiday in August

Answer: Women gained the right to vote nationally (ratification of Amendment XIX)

Thirty-five of the needed thirty-six states had ratified the Nineteenth Amendment in 1920, which would prohibit the denial of "the right of citizens of the United States...on account of sex". When it came time to vote in Tennessee, pro-suffrage and anti-suffrage forces mobbed the capital Nashville. A 24-year-old legislator named Harry Burn had voted against women's suffrage up to then, but his mother had urged him to change his mind. When he saw the vote was close, and his negative vote would force a tie, he listened to his mother, changed his vote, and the Amendment was ratified. The governor, who had opposed it, stalled...but eight days later, on August 26 he notified Congress, and the Amendment became the law of the land. The 26th of August also commemorates a nationwide demonstration for equal pay, the Women's Strike for Equality, in 1970. Betty Friedan, president of the National Organization for Women (NOW), called for women to stop working on the 50th anniversary of the passage of Nineteenth Amendment to call attention to the problem of unequal pay. Demonstrations and marches in over 90 cites made the strike the largest nationwide protest for women's rights in the USA at the time.

From Quiz A British August

Answer: Australia

Test cricket is one of those games that is difficult to explain, since it can last for five days and still end without either side being victorious. For true afficianados, a draw can sometimes be more exciting than a one sided victory. Test cricket between England and Australia began in 1882 and remains one of the most fiercely fought sports battles between the two countries. The name of 'The Ashes' came after England lost their first match at home to the tourists, with a newspaper publishing an obituary. English cricket was described as having died, with the comment that 'the body will be cremated, and the ashes taken to Australia'. The idea took hold, and the winners of each series are said to have won 'The Ashes'.

From Quiz August - Respected and Impressive

Answer: Grain

Lammas is a harvest festival, celebrating, one of the oldest and essential food crops for most civilizations. Situated halfway between the summer solstice and the fall equinox, the celebration also marks one of the eight Wiccan sabbats that occur in the year. There is also a symbolism here. In Ireland's early days it was considered bad form to start harvesting your grain before Lammas. The intimation here is that you'd run out of grain and, as a farmer, you had failed in your task to provide sufficient grain for the health and well-being of the community. Traditionally, come Lammas, the first sheaves of wheat would be harvested in the morning and then rushed to the mill and the bakers. By evening the first loaves of bread would have been baked and the celebration begin.

From Quiz It's a Jolly Holiday in August

Answer: Hiroshima Peace Memorial Ceremony

Since 1947, at Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park, a ceremony has been held annually on August 6, the day Hiroshima, Japan became the first city to experience a nuclear attack. The names of those who died from the atomic bomb are read out loud, and a bell is rung at 8:15 a.m. (the time Enola Gay dropped the bomb on the city). Doves are released, and prayers are said for world peace. Many other cities around the world hold ceremonies and a ring a bell at the same time. In August 2016, for the first time ever the President of the United States attended the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Ceremony.

From Quiz The Month of July

Answer: Paris

It stands on the site of the Bastille, the prison that was destroyed in the French Revolution.

From Quiz Holidays and Observances in July

Answer: Simon Bolivar

In the early 1800s, discontent with the Spanish Empire had dramatically grown in their many Central and South American colonies. The successful Haitian Revolution against French rule was a watershed moment for colonies in the area, and in the years that followed, the region would see an important number of independence movements. Led by Miguel Hidalgo, Mexico was one of the first countries to obtain independence from Spain in 1810. In this decade and the next, many other countries in the area also sought after their independence, such as Argentina, Chile, and Paraguay. In the South American nations of Colombia, Panama, Ecuador, Venezuela, Peru, and Bolivia, General Simon Bolivar played a huge role in the ultimately successful fight for their independence from Spanish rule. Many of these nations formed part of the Gran Colombia, an enormous piece of land that contained big parts of the aforementioned present-day countries. Bolivar, who was born on July 24, 1783, led the battles that concluded in freedom from Spain. For this reason, he is known as "El Libertador" or "the liberator". Bolivar ruled these territories as president for many years, until he resigned and passed away not long after leaving power.

From Quiz It's a Jolly Holiday in August

Answer: Assumption Day

Assumption Day refers to the Catholic and Orthodox belief that the Virgin Mary was assumed into Heaven, body and soul. The date was fixed as August 15 around A.D. 700. Some Italians, especially in Rome, call it Ferragosto, from Feriae Augusti ("Festivities of Augustus"). Near the Tiber river and along the seashore at Ostia and Fregene are fireworks displays and live concerts. And there are of course sermons and benedictions by the Pope in Vatican City, not to mention processions. In Sicily and in rural areas outside Rome, the procession is the central event. The townspeople parade a statue of the Virgin Mary to a ceremonial arch of flowers, where another group of people holding a statue of Christ await her arrival. Both statues are inclined toward each other three times, as if bowing, and then both figures are carried (with Christ in front) back to the local church for a special benediction. In olden days, Italian plazas were flooded. Citizens would ride through the temporary "lakes" in carriages and it was common for people to carry bowls of rose-scented water, which they sprinkled on themselves. Outside Italy, Assumption day is also one for celebrating one's Italian heritage. For example, in a large Italian-American neighborhood in Cleveland, Ohio, there is a four-day street festival, held since 1898, with everything from fireworks to rides to music to casino games (and I don't mean Bingo). Assumption Day is also the Fête Nationale (National Day) of French-speaking descendants of Canadian settlers known as Acadians, whose patron saint is Mary herself. So many businesses close in parts of New Brunswick, Canada. Besides Italy, August 15 is a national holiday in scores of countries in Europe, the Americas, Africa (e.g. Cameroon, Madagascar, Mauritius), and Oceania (e.g. Vanuatu, Tahiti).

From Quiz A British August

Answer: Grouse

The date is not so glorious for the red grouse, who are the target of organised shooting parties beginning on that date. The season for grouse shooting lasts until 10 December, so is a (relatively) limited period. In Northern Ireland, it finishes earlier, on 30 November. The pheasant season lasts from 1 October until 1 February and the partridge season from 1 September until 1 February, with both finishing one day earlier in Northern Ireland. It is illegal to shoot these game birds at any other time - the close seasons were brought in to give the bird population a chance to recover. Wood pigeons can be shot at any time and have no legal protection. Information taken from ruralsports.co.uk

From Quiz August - Respected and Impressive

Answer: Peridot

With its name originating from the Arabic word for gem, faridat, the peridot was a highly prized stone in both ancient and medieval cultures. Evidence of this was found in churches of those eras, in particular, adorning chalices and the like. It was seen as a protective talisman and was said to be able to guard the wearer against evil spirits and the "terrors of the night"... what does this say about the 16th wedding anniversary? The gem has often been confused with the topaz and the emerald over history and, possibly, the best example is the Cologne Cathedral's Shrine of the Three Kings. This has been adorned with, what was believed to be, 200 carats of emeralds, only to be identified later that they were peridots. There is also some speculation that Cleopatra's famous emerald collection may not have been all that it claimed to be and that the majority of the collection was the humble peridot. The peridot has been mined in places such as China, Myanmar, Pakistan, Tanzania, Vietnam and the USA. They have come to the surface by either volcanic activity or embedded in meteorites that have fallen to the Earth. I suppose that's one way to redeem yourself on the 16th wedding anniversary... telling your partner that your gift is "out of this world".

From Quiz It's a Jolly Holiday in July!

Answer: Casual Pi Day

Pi is usually represented as 3.14..., and so Ultimate Pi Day is March 14, based on how dates are written in the USA (and elsewhere). However, pi is sometimes represented as 22/7 (this is the nearest fractional approximation), so in Europe and the Commonwealth, 22 July becomes Casual Pi day! So if you missed it in March, you get a second chance. The Max Planck Society is especially fond of Casual Pi Day and recommends everyone celebrate with pi(es). I couldn't make this up if I wanted to.

From Quiz A British August

Answer: Scotland

The public holiday at the beginning of August was brought in by an Act of Parliament - the Bank Holidays Act of 1871. This formally introduced the public holidays in England, Wales and Northern Ireland on Easter Monday, Whit Monday and Boxing Day, as well as the August date. Good Friday and Christmas Day were already accepted as holidays, so were not included. For Scotland, the dates were different with New Year's Day replacing Boxing Day, as Hogmanay (New Year) was a more important date in Scotland. In 2013, England and Wales had fewer public holidays, with eight, than either Scotland, which has nine, or Northern Ireland's ten.

From Quiz August - Respected and Impressive

Answer: Leo and Virgo

In astrology, Leo is the fifth sign of the zodiac. It is said to govern the period between July 23 and August 22. It is represented by the lion and is usually linked to the Nemean lion from Greek mythology. Likewise, Virgo, the virgin, is represented by a young maiden carrying a sheaf of wheat to symbolize fertility. She governs the period from 23 August to 22 September. So how are these dates determined? The star sign or, more accurately, sun sign is determined by where the sun sits in a particular constellation at the time of your birth. Clear as mud... another way to put this is... As the Earth moves around the sun there will come a period when each constellation is, at one point during the year, hidden behind the sun. When this constellation is "hidden" then it is deemed a star sign. Now, this is where astronomy and astrology will differ. The star signs were identified and assigned by ancient astronomers. Those periods were then set and are abided by astrologers. Astronomers, though, will tell you that, because of the precession of the equinoxes (or the wobble in Earth's orbit) the sun is no longer in the same constellation as it was all those years ago. To put it another way... if you were born at the start of February some 3,000 years ago the sun would have been in the constellation of Aquarius. Today, the sun would have shifted to be in the constellation of Capricornus.

From Quiz The Month of July

Answer: Russia

There were mass demonstrations in Petrograd, the then capital of Russia, on the July, 16 and 17. Moscow replaced Petrograd as capital in 1918. Petrograd became Leningrad, and is now St. Petersburg.

From Quiz Holidays and Observances in July

Answer: Hepatitis

In simple terms, the word "hepatitis" means "inflammation of the liver". However, the illness has different causes and variations, meaning there are multiple ways to get sick from this disease. Mainly, hepatitis can be viral (such as hepatitis A, B, and C) or toxic (caused by excessive alcohol consumption). There is also a rarer form of hepatitis known as autoimmune hepatitis, an illness where the body's own immune system attacks the liver. Nowadays, vaccines are available to prevent hepatitis A and B, which can be transmitted through fecal matter or bodily fluids, respectively. Baruch Samuel Blumberg was responsible for the developments that led to the hepatitis B vaccination, which is why his birthday was chosen by the World Health Organization as the international awareness day for this type of disease.

From Quiz It's a Jolly Holiday in July!

Answer: Dharma Day

Buddhists believe Prince Siddhartha Gautama discovered the way to Enlightenment and became the Buddha, or "the Awakened One". His first sermon on how to follow this path, and become awakened like him, is referred to as "turning of the wheel of the Dharma" (that is, the ultimate truth). Dharma Day is extremely important, therefore, to Buddhists as it is the anniversary of the founding of Buddhism in the 6th century BC, and while there are no boisterous celebrations, they make many offerings at temples on this day.

From Quiz It's a Jolly Holiday in August

Answer: Haitian Uprising

In 1791, on the French colony of Saint Domingue (now Haiti) on the island of Hispaniola in the Caribbean, the slaves revolted. Ultimately, the revolution led to the abolition of the transatlantic slave trade that operated from the 16th to the 19th centuries -- a triangular trade of slaves, cash crops (sugar, tobacco, cotton), and textiles, rum, and manufactured goods between the Americas, Europe, and West Africa. Haiti is the only successful slave revolt in history.

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